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Stuart Ferguson's Collection

Rolling Stones   11/09/2003

Tamar Festival Site, Hong Kong, China
Source Audience recording
Media CDR   2 discs
Notes lineage: "Last Licks Tour - Last Licks Vol. 2" AUD > WAV (EAC) > FLAC Level 6
J-Card Comment Review by Dean Goodman:
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Unless Michael Cohl takes my advice and brings the Rolling Stones to the stadium in Ulan Bator, Sunday's second show in Hong Kong really was it. No more -- at least until the next time.
Thankfully, they ended the tour on a high note. Apart from a surprising adherence to Friday's set list, the show was essentially flawless, and certainly a more accomplished effort. It was a thrill to watch the locals around me get into the spirit even though they may not have been terribly familiar with the material. No one sat down, and if they did, it wasn't for long.

Still, it was an overwhelmingly expatriate crowd. The Stones might just as well have been playing London. It's a pity they didn't use the big screens to play the England-Wales rugby match beforehand, which would have really set the English adrenalin running. As with Friday, the rain held off. The cooler temperature made things a little more pleasant. But security was much tighter, bordering on thuggish, and it wasn't possible for me to rush the stage this time.

"Wild Horses," "Monkey Man," "Midnight Rambler" and "Before They Make Me Run" were added to the set list. The show began with the same 4 songs, and I was surprised that "Miss You" returned.

Mick's stage banter was also little changed, though this time he did thank the people of Hong Kong for making the band feel welcome. He noted that this was the 117th show of the tour "and we're very pleased to be doing the last one in front of you."

Before Keith launched into "Slipping Away," he said, "Sorry we took so long." After that song, he said, "Before they chase me out of town, this one's called 'Before They Make Me Run.'" He and Ronnie were color-coordinated with bright red tops for the second half of the show.

Highlights for me included "You Can't Always Get What You Want," "Midnight Rambler" and "Street Fighting Man." When the bootleg comes out, listeners should pay attention to the latter song as Darryl broke a string, and spent much of the song adjusting the tuning for the remaining strings. The crowd could have sung "You Can't Always Get What You Want" all night; I don't know Mick doesn't let the chanting go on for a bit. But he did break down "Sympathy" to let us do the "woo-woos" a few times.

Bill Clinton was not at Sunday's show. The wings were cleared of people this time. The Stones gave him what was possibly the worst seat in the house on Friday - about eye level with the backsides of the three back-up singers. When he left his seat during "Miss You," I was worried that he might come out and do a sax solo. I never thought I'd be so relieved to see Bobby's pasty face as he moved in to blow us all away. He loved the manga graphic for "Honky Tonk Women" and seemed enthralled by Lisa.

The Stones and I leave town on Monday, on separate flights, alas. It's been a great 42 shows since September 2002, time to twiddle my thumbs impatiently for the next tour.
Trades Allowed Yes
Owned by Stuart Ferguson · Last Updated May 23, 2023